Chapter 213 - The Young Duchess and the Darkness

  Chloe Evenhart:

  Weeks went by, and nothing happehe third assassin remained in hiding, and we were beginning to sider the possibility that he had retreated, though we never let uard doere allowed to leave the academy during the week, pretending to be more rexed to try and lure him out, but still, nothing happened. We knew Nathan was the target, so he would walk around the city aloer csses, hoping to expose the assassin.

  I felt relieved that things were finally beginning to calm down. Soon, we would be returning to the castle for the holidays. Yet, something else was making me incredibly nervous.

  The Day of Chocote…

  As we sat in the middle of a theory css, I could barely focus. The Day of Chocote roag, and just thinking about it made me restless. This week, I went out and bought the chocote I'd give Nate, but every time I touched my ste bracelet, I feared I’d actally pull out the chocote too soon.

  This time, Nate won’t get away. I’m going to fess my feelings to him when I give him the chocote.

  A quiet giggle escaped me.

  Knowing how silly he is, if I just handed him the chocote, he probably wouldn’t even realize it’s a fession.

  The Day of Chocote is a special time at school when girls with romantic feelings fess to the boys they like. The break afterward makes it easier, as they spend a month apart, avoiding any embarrassment.

  But… I’ll be going back to the same house as the boy I like.

  I couldn’t help but ugh again, amused by the irony. And on top of that, I’ll be spending two days in a carriage with him until we reach the Royal Capital to take the underground transport.

  Just thinking about it is enough to make me blush… I hope he gives me the answer I’ve been longing for. I’ve liked him for so long, and I ’t imagine being with anyone else. Besides… he’s my fiancé, even if the oblivious sweetheart still doesn’t know it.

  A sliver of fear crept in as I sidered him rejeg me.

  “Nate likes me… I think. He always gets shy when I hug him…” I murmured, realizing, a little too te, that I’d nearly spoken aloud in css.

  Oops…

  On reflex, I spped my hands over my mouth.

  Oh, no… Nate… Now I ’t stop thinking about you.

  I closed my eyes, trying to empty my mind. Instead, thoughts about the future started to creep in.

  What would our kids be like? Would they have that same pale plexion like he does?

  Another quiet ugh bubbled up.

  Would they be mischievous like me or as silly as he is?

  I realized, once again, that I’d pletely drifted off from the lesson to think about Nate.

  Wait! I’ll have to do ‘that’ with him?!

  Suddenly, my face heated up in embarrassment.

  I’m not ready for that… how embarrassing. And apparently, I’ll have to take the initiative.

  My cheeks burned even more just thinking about it.

  I’ll have to use my authority as a duchess… ‘Lie down on the bed and take off your clothes, man, that’s an order!’

  The idea was so ridiculous that I let out a big ugh, quickly dug my head to avoid aig my outburst.

  Nikous Wolves:

  Weeks had passed, and all I got iurn was the damn silence.

  Damn it!

  I threw the dots that had been scattered across the table onto the floor. My hands began to shake. I quickly moved back to the table, grabbing a bottle of liquor.

  I itted the greatest crime on this ti!

  Taking a long swig, I felt the bitter taste burn down my throat, and I sat down again, gnawing on my nails incessantly. I khe weight of the crime I’d itted, but the worst part was the sileno one had tacted me. I had no idea what had happened.

  "Nathan Evenhart isn’t dead... If he had died, every noble in the duchy would have been informed," I muttered, pag bad forth, trying to analyze the situation.

  Outside, a storm was raging, the raiing the windows.

  I threw the bottle to the floor in a fit e.

  "Damn it!" I shouted, kig the chair with all my strength.

  "I ’t even send a damer to anyone in Apsalon asking if a noble had shown up dead retly—everyone would be suspicious!" I picked up the chair from the ground and sat down, struggling to tain my anger.

  The assassins should have tacted me through the magic device, but so far, nothing. I’ve already risked too much, sending resources and dots that only politiobles have access to. And that damn unication device is so rare I only buy three a year!

  I tried to plot my steps, but my mind was a whirlwind of uainties.

  “Curse this storm!” I said, looking out at the lightning slig through the sky.

  I thought of the possibilities.

  “Either they gave up on pleting the tract... or they failed…” The thought crept in, uling.

  “How could those assassins have failed?”

  The Evenharts are an a line of mages, blessed with naturally potent blood. Still, how could they have overpowered three professional assassins? That kid is just a damn student! I spent a fortune buying bck market books on thunder mages so the assassins would know how to hahe situation if things got out of trol.

  Other possibilities started swirling in my mind as I tried to deduce what might have happened.

  The damn royal guard families… They’ve been on these nds with the Evenharts since before this little kingdom was called a duchy. Could they have a powerful arsenal of spells? Besides, they’ve been trained feions to protect the Evenharts.

  I hardly know anything about those families sihey all live with them in that damn castle. I ’t eve close enough to try bribing someone for information. Those bastards are so loyal they’re practically a cult.

  I put my hand over my fad sighed.

  “Damn it!” I shouted, ripping off my coat. It was cold, but nerves had me sweating non-stop.

  “No. There’s no way they could have helped. They’re important figures in the duchy and stay close to the duchess. Besides, Apsalon has strict limits on how many guards a politioble keep there, so as not to offend the honor and peace of the pce.” I murmured, trying to reason.

  That city is the safest there is, with zero crime rate. After all, no one wants to be a criminal hunted by the three realms. That’s why my pn to a Apsalon might seem risky, but the city’s reputation ences politiobles to walk around without being surrounded by guards and to live normally like any other citizen.

  The Evenharts only brought maids. How could they have possibly faced those assassins?

  I weighed everything I knew until the most obvious answer hit me, and I let out a bitter ugh.

  "Received help! That damn pce has so many powerful mages. If the assassins failed and were defeated, it’s because they received aid from some powerful mage. If that’s the case, I’m screwed… although, from what Quinn told me, he’d stay somewhere far from the abdu site to avoid even the slightest suspi. Only he knows I hired him. Even if the abdu failed and his team died… he would… vanish."

  So that’s it. He must have disappeared. Trying to kill a high noble is so dangerous that, if he failed, he wouldn’t risk tag me and simply vanished.

  I felt a slight relief.

  Better to have my pn fail than for me to be exposed. If it really did fail, at least my money is safe.

  "Then, I'll have to go with the sed option. I’ll propose to the duchess that she allows me to father a child with Chloe Evenhart."

  I began pag, thoughts rag through my mind.

  "I’ll o stay uhe radar for at least a year to avoid suspi about my sudden closeness. But I use that time to my advantage. tinue my image as the good guy. Instead of just supplying information about gangs, I could even send my owo deal with them. Show initiative. Maybe even fe aion against crime to showcase my effectiveness."

  A smile crept ay face. "At the same time, I’ll i a fortune in strengthening anized crime. Yes… the more damaged this duchy bees, the more I appear as its savior."

  The idea gleamed in my mind.

  "I try to win the hearts of the people while simultaneously damaging the duchess’s image. Then, I’ll swoop in as the noble knight, rallying the people to support her. That’s it! I even seal a peace deal by proposing a union, suggesting the duchess allow me to father her daughter’s child, tying us together. But I must do it in a way that earns their trust."

  It was a solid pn. But the ret failure loomed over me.

  Damn it! If they find out I schemed against a high noble... I’m dead!

  I gathered the scattered dots from the floor, and there, ironically, was an image of the boy himself—a bd-white photo of Nathan Evenhart at just ten years old.

  Damn you, Nathan Evenhart! If you hadn’t shown up years ago, I’d have secured this already...

  I looked at a painting hanging on the wall, my own portrait. In a fit e, I threw it to the ground and used my earth magic to break open a hidden partment in the wall. Desperatio me. This was my st hope.

  "There you are..." I muttered, retrieving the carefully ed object.

  Uning it, I stared at the bck, gssy stone, resembling a piece of coal.

  "I need your help..." I said, staring at the stone.

  "My friend with eyes that shine in the darkness, give me yuidance. Everything I’ve done since I bought you from that mert has worked. The money I made in the underworld, maniputing o form my fa, taking advantage of the ale heirs after the war. You promised to help me quer the duchy if I followed your instrus. Dark light... speak to me, please."

  The stone, silent for so long, finally respowo red lights appeared on its surface.

  "You’ve answered me! Finally!" I excimed, looking at it.

  The red eyes stared back at me, unblinking.

  "Norse..." whispered the voice. "Hold on just a bit longer... When the great flict arises… you will py a vital role in your kingdom... just like the other chosen ones."